In women, foot swelling occurs more frequently than in men. A common cause is high heels, which causes an optimal venous outflow of blood. In case of violation of the hormonal cycle during the premenstrual period, the body also accumulates excess fluid.

Why the lower extremities swell

The swelling of the legs can be caused by rather innocuous reasons:

long standing in the standing position;

abundant drinking throughout the day, especially at bedtime;

long stay on low upholstered furniture;

tight, uncomfortable shoes at too high or too low a heel.

Fluid formation provokes:

flatfoot;

excess body weight;

metabolic disorders.

Legs can swell when there is a malfunction in the intestine. As a rule, this condition is accompanied by diarrhea .

The cause of edema on the legs may be a decrease in hemoglobin or stagnant fluid in the body. As a rule, in this case, both limbs swell.

Unilateral puffiness is usually associated with a local disturbance. This can be a vein thrombosis, inflammatory processes, accompanied by painful sensations, with this often there is redness.

The appearance of puffiness can also indicate a particular disease.

Varicose disease

A common cause of fluid accumulation is varicose veins . The current of the blood is difficult, why stagnant phenomena occur. Changes appear gradually. As a rule, swelling is observed in the evening, especially if you spend the whole day standing up.

In the morning after sleep everything returns to normal, but in the second half of the day the swelling may recur. Over time, signs of the disease become more noticeable, and often one leg suffers.

It often takes a long time before the patient consults a doctor. The common cause is the appearance of ulcers. Often legs swell in the heat, in winter the signs of the disease are less pronounced or disappear altogether.

Varicose is transmitted by inheritance, and if both parents suffer from it, with 90% probability it will manifest in children.

Heart Failure

Another serious cause of leg edema is a heart failure. Because of this, both lower limbs become swollen.

Sign of heart failure is shortness of breath, difficulty breathing at night.

Impairment of the kidneys

The cause of edema of the legs may be kidney disease. Both limbs suffer, while the eyelids swell, circles under the eyes are formed. The color of urine changes, and its secretion decreases. Edema can appear on the hands, abdomen. Sometimes renal failure is manifested by complication after a respiratory illness.

If the “cardiac” edema appears later in the evening, then the “kidney” on the contrary, more pronounced in the morning, toward evening they decrease.

Disorders of the thyroid gland

The cause of edema of the legs is hypothyroidism , insufficient activity of the thyroid gland. Pressing on the swollen place does not leave pits, the tissues retain their elasticity.

This condition is characterized by drowsiness, chilliness, frequent constipation. Often swelling of the tongue and in the shoulders.

Low protein level

The reason why the legs swell is hypoproteinemia – a condition characterized by an extremely low protein content in the blood plasma. It is often accompanied by diarrhea or an intestinal disorder.

This condition can be caused by a prolonged adherence to a strict diet, when the supply of protein is insufficient, which causes swelling of the lower extremities.His level can also go down due to a malfunction of the liver, kidneys.

Prevention of foot swelling

What to do to prevent swelling? First of all, it is necessary to control the drinking regime.

Excess fluid in the body is created by excessive consumption of salt, so it is worth reducing its intake. It is useful to stop podsalivat dishes.

It is not necessary for a long time to wear high-heeled shoes, his optimum height of 3-4 cm.

If moisture accumulation cause of varicose veins, it is necessary to give up too hot tubs, visit the hot baths and saunas, and massage the feet and lower leg.

A healthy organism emits as much fluid with sweat and urine as it received with food or drink.

If the legs become swollen due to unimportant heart function, the release of moisture should exceed the intake to remove swelling. To this end, the doctor prescribes diuretics. Natural diuretics are watermelon and cucumbers, in the season they need to eat as much as possible.

If the cause of puffiness is a kidney disease, it is useful to take an hour before eating grape juice. This is an excellent diuretic for swelling of the feet. Similar properties have parsley juice, which is better to use with juice from carrots or celery.

Walking is useful because they stimulate blood circulation in the lower limbs.

The contrast baths for feet help to remove fatigue. They need to be held for a few minutes in hot water, then for a few seconds put in cold water, so several times.

In the evening it is useful to lie down for 10-15 minutes, placing a pillow under the shin. After making an energetic massage in the direction from the feet to the knees, you can use a towel to perform the procedure. Effects on the feet should be more vigorous than on the lower leg.

It is necessary to wean us to sit by placing one hip on the other. In this position, the blood flow slows down considerably, which is another reason why the legs swell.

How to remove the swelling in the legs culture exercises

If during the day have to stand for long periods, it is useful to improve the minute and perform simple exercises.

Gymnastics for the feet, performed standing:

for restoring blood circulation, stand for a few seconds on one, then on the other foot;

take off your shoes and stand on your socks;

to be like socks;

several times jump on your fingers;

standing on the floor, move the body weight alternately from the socks to the heels and vice versa.

Exercises to get rid of the swelling of the feet, performed while sitting, better without shoes:

rotate the feet, first clockwise, then counter-clockwise;

bend the fingers down, then point them as far as possible;

alternately spread out and close your fingers.

Medications from leg edema

If foot and leg swelling, and it is seriously concerned about the best thing that you can do – seek medical advice. It is necessary to identify the cause, why moisture accumulates in the lower limbs. If this is not a feature of nutrition or professional activity, but a disease, it is necessary to diagnose it and begin treatment.

Usually, a heart, kidney, liver, blood plasma protein test is required. To treat edema of the legs may be prescribed diuretics. Individual doctor appoints a doctor, it is not necessary to be treated independently.

The fact is that the side effect of diuretics can harm health, and the doctor, when making an appointment, takes into account the presence of various concomitant diseases. As a rule, drug treatment with these drugs reduces the level of potassium necessary for optimal heart function.

To strengthen the capillaries, a sufficient intake of rutin is necessary, which reduces their fragility and increases permeability. And also heparin , used to prevent and treat thromboembolic diseases.

The following ointments and creams from leg edema help:

Escalene Gel , used in the case of varicose veins, fatigue, inflammation, circulatory disorders of the lower limbs;

Heparin ointment, used for inflammation of the wall of the superficial veins or their blockage;

Gel or cream Venitan based on horse chestnut seeds, sealing the capillary walls and reducing their fragility. Blood ceases to stagnate in the venous bed, puffiness decreases;

Gel Troxevasite contains a derivative of routine, has anti-edematous and anti-inflammatory effect, reducing the permeability of the capillary wall. It is used for varicose veins, heaviness in the legs, superficial thrombophlebitis.

Gel Lyoton 1000 is used in the case of varicose veins, thrombophlebitis of superficial veins, bruises and subcutaneous hematomas.

In some cases, an operation is proposed in which a large or small saphenous vein is removed, the main cause of the onset of edema and ulcers. After the operation, the blood is transported through deep veins.

To reduce fatigue, a doctor can recommend compression knitwear, special knee socks, stockings, tights, squeezing limbs and preventing the appearance of swelling. Legs in it get tired much less. The degree of elasticity of medical clothing is also chosen by a doctor, it must be removed for the night.

How to get rid of edema of the feet with folk remedies

In case of varicose veins, you can not steam out and rub your legs. In this case it is useful to apply steamed elder leaves to the nodes.

The tub with sea salt is useful for tired lower limbs, it relaxes well. It is necessary to use cool water, massaging swollen areas from feet to knees.

It is useful to massage with ice, prepared from the infusion of medicinal herbs: sage, chamomile, cornflower, yarrow, peppermint.

Folk remedy if swollen feet – baths with horsetail infusion, chamomile and sage. Mixing the herbs in equal parts, 100 g of the mixture is brewed with a liter of boiling water, boiled on low heat for 15 minutes, insist in a sealed container for 45 minutes. Infusion should be filtered, diluted with three liters of water. To add in trays.

ка Cabbage veins are useful for the removal of edema. They are cut from a fresh leaf, rolled out with a rolling pin and attached to a swollen patch with an adhesive plaster.

It is useful to rub the feet and shins with a mixture of lemon juice and vegetable oil in equal parts.